The Best Authentic Homemade Vodka Sauce - The Italian Way (2024)

Vodka Sauce is an Italian-American pasta sauce that boasts a robust tomato flavor with the smooth, velvety texture of a cream sauce. You may see it as “Penne alla Vodka” on a menu or referred to simply as “Pink Sauce,” because of its pink hue (the combination of tomatoes and cream). If you’ve never had it before, imagine a decadent cream sauce, such as Alfredo, coming together with a bold, bright marinara. The marriage of flavors is simply harmonious!

While there are many variations of the prized Pink Sauce, our homemade vodka sauce features hand-crushed tomatoes, chopped onions, heavy cream, a bit of pork fat, grated Parmesan, crushed red pepper flakes—and of course, a splash of vodka. The vodka isn’t meant to flavor the sauce, but enhance the flavors of the sauce.

There is a lot of debate surrounding the origins of Vodka Sauce, but we won’t go there. All you need to know is that it is an incredible pasta sauce that everyone in the family will love.

If you’ve ever deglazed a saucepan with wine, you know that alcohol is a great way to bring out the flavors in your sauce recipes. This is how vodka works in this particular case. The alcohol adds a sharpness and a heat that mellows the rich, sweet flavors of the tomatoes and the cream. This brings out their complexity without any alcohol taste. You cannot taste vodka or alcohol in the sauce. The vodka’s alcohol content evaporates as it cooks, so it doesn’t leave behind any vodka or alcohol flavor in the final dish.

The vodka absolutely matters to the flavors of the final dish, so if you feel the urge to skip it, don’t! We promise it won’t be the same.

• Amazingly creamy.
• So bright and flavorful.
• Super quick and easy.

Looking for a great premade vodka sauce? We've got you covered!

Pork Fat: There isn’t much pork fat can’t do, and in this case, it adds a salty, savory flavor that really adds to the sweet, creamy tomato sauce. We love pancetta for this reason, but if you’d like an added smokiness, bacon just may be your pork fat of choice. If you’re looking for a vegetarian vodka sauce recipe, just skip the meat here.

Onions: Chopped onions are sautéed for a mellow sweet addition to the sauce. They are so fine and cooked through that they blend into the sauce completely without a chunky texture.

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Crushed red pepper flakes add a bit of zip and flavor without any real heat.

Tomatoes: The tomatoes here are vital to a great homemade vodka sauce. Our San Marzano Style Tomatoes are the perfect sauce tomatoes. With few seeds and firm tomato pieces, they are excellent for crushing and blending together into a sauce. San Marzano tomatoes are famously rich and bright, ready to stand up to the heavy cream in this recipe.

Vodka: The brand of vodka isn’t important, as it burns off in the process. The alcohol here is what matters most. Just ½ cup of vodka enhances the flavors of this sauce without imparting any alcohol taste. Don’t skip this step!

Heavy Cream: This silky, miky ingredient is just what you need to tame that tangy tomato flavor.

Grated Parmesan: When you create an authentic Italian meal of just a few ingredients, the quality of those ingredients really matters. We recommend the sharp, nutty bite of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to complement this creamy tomato sauce.

Pasta: Sure, any cuts of pasta will do, but if you want your sauce living its best life, choose the right shape. While Penne Ziti or Penne Rigate are the most popular, any short cut of pasta with ample sauce-capturing hollows and ridges will do. Just be sure to cook your pasta al dente, so it holds up in your sauce.

• Get Fresh with Herbs: Add new flavors like smashed garlic, fresh herbs from the garden.
• Add Proteins: Make your Homemade Vodka Sauce a well-rounded meal with meatballs, sliced rounds of Italian sausage, chicken or shrimp. For vegetarian-friendly protein options, try cannellini beans or garbanzo beans (chickpeas).
• Spice It Up: Introduce spicy Calabrian Chili Peppers, more crushed red pepper flakes or other spicy ingredients to add some heat to your Vodka Sauce.
  

• Vodka-Free Version: Make this pasta sauce without vodka. You can use a mix of water and lemon juice to kick up the flavor of your creamy tomato sauce. It won’t be the same, but it will help bring out the acidity of your tomatoes.

Make Ahead

Vodka Sauce can be made in advance up to 5 days and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. The pasta can be cooked ahead of time as well and stored separately in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

When it comes time to serve, heat the sauce in a large saucepan on a medium-low setting to simmer, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce is warmed through, about 8-10 minutes, stir in the cooked pasta. Cook together for 3-5 minutes until pasta is warmed.

Freezer Storage

To make the sauce ahead of time and freeze, make the sauce up until the addition of the cream. Store this tomato sauce in the freezer in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator first. Heat in a sauce pan and add the cream once warmed through. Continue on with the recipe from there.